CHAPTER XIII

A WALK ABROAD

“Sybil,” said Jimmy, “at last I’ve seen her!”

“And did she say she would come to-morrow?” asked his sister.

“Oh well, of course you must go there in the first place,” he answered.

“Jimmy, what do you mean?” said Sybil, with an expression of bewilderment.  “It is not in the least like Carrissima to be so ceremonious——­”

“Who was talking about Carrissima?” cried Jimmy.

“I naturally thought you were.”

“Not a bit of it,” said Jimmy.  “Bridget—­Miss Rosser!”

“Rosser—­Rosser,” murmured Sybil, taxing her memory.  “I fancy there used to be some people named Rosser at Crowborough when I stayed with Colonel Faversham so many years ago.”

“You must go and see her to-morrow,” urged Jimmy.  “The address is Number 5, Golfney Place.  There’s the woman I should like to marry,” added Jimmy, causing Sybil to jump out of her chair.

She pleaded tentatively, however, that she could not go the following afternoon, for the simple reason that she expected a visit from Carrissima, whose arrival she now eagerly awaited.

“My dear,” she said, pecking at her visitor’s cheeks, as she clung to her hand, “I’ve been positively longing to see you.  How very well you are looking!  Now pray sit down and tell me all about this Miss Rosser.”

“So Jimmy has already been singing her praises,” suggested Carrissima.

“Oh dear, he simply took my breath away,” said Sybil.  “You would never believe it!  He actually told me he should like to marry her!  Did ever you hear such a thing?”

“He never loved who loved not at first sight,” cried Carrissima, with a laugh.

“Of course, my dear, Jimmy was only joking,” said Sybil.

“I scarcely imagined he had made up his mind so rapidly,” answered Carrissima, “although Bridget is obviously quite irresistible.  What an admirable solution!  How I wish it might come to pass!”

“Oh, but, Carrissima!”

“It’s no use,” she said.  “Self-preservation is the first law of nature, and if she doesn’t marry Jimmy she will very likely marry my father.”

“Carrissima!” cried Sybil in the tone of one severely shocked.

“I am perfectly serious,” was the reply.

“But a man of the colonel’s age!  And what a horrid—­horrid person she must be!”

“Oh dear, no,” said Carrissima.  “You will see what she is.  If only Jimmy effects a diversion I shall feel grateful as long as I live.”

The net result of the interview with Carrissima was that Sybil did an extremely unusual thing.  Although Jimmy strongly urged her to go to Golfney Place, she positively refused to gratify him.

“Jimmy, I am very, very sorry,” she insisted, “but I couldn’t possibly go.  Miss Rosser really doesn’t seem to be quite respectable.”